Julio Urias, 27, who was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers to replace Hyun-jin Ryu (36, Toronto), will be eligible for free agency at the end of this season.
He’s struggled a bit this year, going 11-8 with a 4.60 ERA in 21 games (60 earned runs in 117 1/3 innings), but he’s already ranked first and second in the National League in wins with 20 in 2021 and 17 in 2022. He also led the National League in ERA last year with a 2.16 ERA. He’s struggled this year, but the talent hasn’t gone anywhere. As the biggest name in the pitching staff, a big contract was practically a given.
But Urias kicked the free-agent jackpot to the curb and betrayed the Dodgers’ faith. On May 5, local media outlets, including MLB.com, reported that Urias had been arrested by police and charged with domestic violence. For now, Urias was released on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on April 28.
먹튀검증This is not the first domestic violence allegation against Urias. In May 2019, he knocked his wife to the ground during an argument at a shopping center in Los Angeles. He was arrested. He was released on $20,000 bail and placed on administrative leave. Despite the “fall” defense, Urias received a 20-game suspension.
At the time, the Dodgers said, “We are disappointed in what happened, but we hope that Urias will take responsibility and learn from it,” and that Urias will reflect and do things differently.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
But Urias betrayed the Dodgers, who believed in him to the end. The local media in Los Angeles was shocked and criticized Urias for his betrayal. The LA Times wrote, “Same player, same problem. I don’t know what the hell he’s thinking,” and “He was given a second chance (in 2019) and he blew it, and he betrayed the people who believed in him. He has a lot of options, but he can’t throw the ball for the Dodgers anymore.
The Dodgers are a team with a conservative culture. It holds its players to a relatively high moral standard when it comes to their behavior. When Trevor Bauer (DeNA, Yokohama, Japan) was accused of sexual assault, he was placed on administrative leave during the trial, and the Dodgers released him after the court’s favorable verdict, even though they knew he was capable. In the process, Bauer was ostracized by the organization’s existing members.
The Dodgers decided to remove Urias from the organization, stating that he “will not be with the team while we work to get all the facts. If Major League Baseball confirms the allegations against Urias, it will be the second time he has been disciplined since the organization adopted the Domestic Violence Policy in 2015.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
The Dodgers can breathe a sigh of relief. Coming into the season, there was a lot of concern that the Dodgers wouldn’t be able to survive a tough division with the likes of San Diego, San Francisco, and Arizona. But the Dodgers are still here, and they’ve only gotten stronger, dominating the National League West. With an 84-52 record and a .618 winning percentage, they are 14 games behind second-place Arizona. Together with the Atlanta Braves (90-46, .662 OPS) in the East, they’ve formed a “two-tier” system in the National League.
But even Urias, who can be an ace in a relatively mediocre pitching staff and has plenty of fall ball experience, is not expected to stick around for the rest of the season. The Dodgers coolly let go of the troublemaker, but they also have to be realistic. The headache is inevitable. Walker Buehler, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow last year, has only just begun pitching in Triple-A. Even if he returns, there’s no guarantee he’ll be ready. Tony Gonsoli, a key part of the starting rotation, had Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers were forced to swap places with Buehler. In many ways, Urias’ unexpected departure presents a troubling problem for the Dodgers.